Soft drinks, hard facts

· 21% of 7-10 year olds drink nearly 10 cans of fizzy drink a week - eight cans being bought for them by their parents; 75% are consumed at home.

· Only 12% of children choose to drink water. The government plans to encourage healthier consumption by providing each child aged 4-6 with a free piece of fruit at school.

· 9% of boys and 13.5% of girls are overweight in England. Obesity has been linked to the first cases of Type 2 diabetes being seen among teenagers in the UK.

· British and American children are exposed to around 10 food commercials for every hour that they watch TV.

US

· The Department of Agriculture recommends consuming no more than 40 grams of refined sugar a day, the equivalent of one can of fizzy drink, which can contain up to 11 teaspoons of sugar.

· 25% of the average American overall sugar consumption comes from soft drinks.

· Two thirds of US adolescents drink soft drinks daily. Profits from the sales of carbonated drinks are estimated at an average $39,000 (£25,600) for every high school every year. The sale of soft drinks is to be banned in LA schools by January 2004.

· A quarter of American children are overweight, with 12% of boys and 11% of girls classed as obese. It is claimed that carbonated drinks could account for 9% of boys' daily calory intake and 8% of girls'.